Loose leaf binder



'Feb. 16, 1932. L. s-rsm LOOSE LEAFEBINDER Filed Sept. 24, 1930171067550} Lou/115 52362) Patented Feb. 16, 1932 tours s'rnm, orCHICAGO, ILLIuoIs LOOSE LEAF BINDER Application filed September 24,1930. Seri'aiNo. 483,988.

The invention pertains to loose leaf binders of the type in which astackofsheets is retained in position between the covers of the binderbymeans of a plurality of posts extending between two pivotal wingswhich are secured within the back of the binder, the posts beinganchored at one end to one ofthe wings and detachably secured orlockedto the other of the wings.

One object of the invention is to provide a loose leaf binder of thecharacter above indicated having a construction such that it is capableof being manufactured at a substantially lower cost than has beenpossible of 15 binders of this type as previously constructed.

Another object is to provide a loose leaf binder of the post type, inwhichthe anchoring and locking wings are ofsuch character that they maybe made of very small thickzu" ness and thus avoid undesirable bulkinessat the rear edge of the binder.

A further objectis. the provision of an improved construction for thelocking wing such as to reduce the number and cost of the parts, and atthe same time permit an easy and effectual locking operation.

Another object is to provide a binder having an improved post anchoringwing of ex tremely simple character and low in manufacturing cost.

The objects of the invention thus set forth, together with other andsimilar advantages, are attained by the construction and arrangementillustrated in the accompanying drawings, of which: 0

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a binder embodying myinvention with the parts in assembled relation but omitting the stack ofsheets for the sake of clearness.

Fig. 2 is a similar view with the parts in position to receive a stackof sheets.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view through the rearportion ofthe binder at one of the retainingposts.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the method offastening the locking slide to the flexible wing member.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the anchoring wing taken through one ofthe posts before the parts have been secured together.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan view showing one of the tion. I

anchoring posts secured in pos1-' My inventionas illustrated is appliedto a binder having covers 7 andS connected by a back 9. A plurality ofsheet-retaining posts 10are anchored upon a lower pivotal wing generallydesignated by the numeral 11, which posts are adapted to receive a stackof perforated ends,the po sheets 12. At their upper orfree sts 10 areadapted to be detachably secured to an. upper or locking wing generalllydesignated'by the numeral 13.

the p referred embodiment of my in vention the lower or anchoring wing11 is slmply constructedto reduce to a minimum the number and also tostructure.

of parts necessary to be employed, reduce the thickness of the wing .Tothis end it comprises a hingmg member 14 whichmay be composed of thesame material as that of the covers 7 and 8. The material employed isusually of a flexible character, being of cloth or fabric in the case ofbinders of good quality, or of paper or fiber in the case of cheaperbinders.

Said 3 hinge form of an member 14, as shown, is in the elongated stripof flexible material hinged at the lower side edge of the back 9. 5

Upon the inner face of this flexible member 14:

is secured a plate 15 preferably in the form of an elongated metallicstrip,

the central portion of which is shown as being fastenedto the flexiblewing member M as by means of one or more rivets 16. The metallic plateor strip 15 constitutes a reinforcing member for the anchoring wing andis also utilized in fastening the lower ends of the posts 10 to thewing.

The retai nmg posts are constructed in two sections comprising a tubularbase section 17 internally threaded to recelve an upper portion or extension 17. For the purpose of fastening the posts to the anchoring wing,the

tubular bas e section of each post is provided with a thin andrelatively fiat head or abutment 18 be clamped th 14. v

To reduc tween which and the strip 15 is e flexlble hlnge or wing membere to a minimum the bulkiness of the Wing structure, the base section 17of each post is secured to the strip or plate 15 by a shrinking orcontraction of the metal about the post. Thus as shown in Fig. 5 thetubular base section of each post is inserted through an aperture in theflexible wing member 14 and in the metallic strip 15, the latteraperture being formed in a raised annular portion or boss 19 and beingmade of a diameter such as to receive snugly the tubular base section 17of the post. The contraction of the metal about the post is effected bydepressing the annular boss 19 flat upon the flexible strip 14, asuitable tool (not shown) being used for this purpose; and preferably aseries of indentations 20 are formed in the metal adjacent the post soas to increase the effectiveness of the gripping action about the postthrough a further compression of the metal.

The upper or locking wing. is also made relatively thin and flat, andmay be manufactured very cheaply. Thus it is composed essentially ofonly two parts including an inner flexible hinge member 21 hinged at theupper edge of the back, and an outer locking slide 22. The latter in thepreferred embodiment is in the formof a channel member constructed froma flat sheet of metal bent midway between its side edges into channelform so as to form opposed walls 23 and 24. This channel member may bemade of any suitable material possessing the desired rigidity such, forexample, as sheet metal, and it is mounted for sliding movement up onthe inner hinge member 21 by any suitable or preferred.

means such as tubular rivets 25 operating in slots 25 in the opposedwalls 23 and 24 of the slide.

To effect an interlocking action between the slide and the upper ends ofthe post extensions 17, the inner wall 24 of the slide is provided inthe present instance with keyhole slots 26 adapted to receive groovedheads 27 on the upper ends of the post extensions 17 The hinge member 21within the slide has openings 27 a therein forming sockets to receivethe heads 27 and acting to prevent transverse movement of the headsrelative to the hinge member, so that it will be apparent that theinterlocking action may be eifected by positioning the slide so that theenlarged ends of the keyhole slots 26 thereof receive the heads 27, andthereupon moving the slide until said heads interengage with the narrowportions of the slots. In the wall 23 of the slide, opposite the largeends of the slots 26, small openings 28 are formed to permit tl eoperator to see the heads 27 of the posts as the slide is slipped ontothe posts, thus facilitating the positioning of the slide.

It has been found that with the construction thus provided the lockingslide may be operated by the exertion of very small force endwise of thewing, and for this purpose of facilitating movement of the slide it maybe equipped with a ring 29 at one end (Fig. 2), or the wall portion 23thereof may be formed with knurled bosses 30 (Fig. 1) through the mediumof which the slide may be moved.

An advantage of substantial importance in the construction provided isthe reduction in the number of parts to a minimum, coupled with thesimple character of their construction such that they may bemanufactured at a very low cost as compared to prior structures. Alsothe wing structure is such in each instance that the thickness thereofis small and hence the rear edge of the binder is relatively thin andflat, avoiding undue bulkiness.

I claim 'asmy invention: p

l. A loose leaf binder comprising a back, a plurality of posts forretaining a stack of perforated sheetsto be bound, an anchoring winghinged at one edge of said back and car-- rying said posts, and alocking wing compris ing aflexible hinge member and a relatively rigidlocking member channel-shaped in cross-section to receive said hingemember, said locking member being slidably mounted on the hinge memberfor movement into and out of interlocking relation withsaid posts.

2. Aloose leaf binder comprising a back, a plurality of headed postsforretaining a stack of perforated sheets to be bound, an anchoringwing.hinged at one edge of said back and carrying said posts, and a lockingwing comprising a flexible hinge member and a relatively rigid lockingmember channelshaped in cross-section to receive said hinge member, saidlocking member being slidably mounted on said hinge member and having aplurality of apertures in one wall thereof adapted to receive saidposts, and said aper tures being keyhole shaped to effect aninterlocking engagement with said posts as an incident to a longitudinalmovement-imparted to the locking member.

3. A loose leaf binder comprising a back, a headed post for retaining astack of perforated sheets to be bound, an anchoring wing hinged at oneedge of said back and carrying said post, and a locking wing comprisinga flexible hinge member and a relatively rigid locking member providingtwo opposed walls between which said flexible hinge member is retained,the inner one of said walls and said hinge member being apertured toreceive the free end of said post, and said aperture in the lockingmember being keyhole shaped to provide an interlocking engagementbetween the post and the locking member as an incident to the movementof the locking member relative to the hinge member.

4. A loose leaf binder comprising a back, a headed post for retaining astack of perforated sheets to be bound, an anchoring wing hinged at oneedge of said back and carrying said post, and a locking wing comprisinga flexible hinge member and a relatively rigid locking member providingtwo opposed walls between which said flexible hinge member is retained,the inner one of said walls and said hinge member being apertured toreceive the free end of said post, and the aperture in said hinge memberforming a socket acting to prevent transverse movement of the post, saidaperture in the locking member being keyhole shaped to provide aninterlocking engagement between the post and the locking member as anincident to the movement of the locking member relative to the hingemember.

5. A loose leaf binderhaving a channelshaped locking slide adapted forinterlocking engagement with a headed sheet-retaining post, and aflexible hinging member entered into the channel of said slide andhaving the a slide mounted thereon for longitudinal movement.

6. A wing construction for loose leaf binders comprising an elongatedmember adapted to be mounted on the binder back for pivotal movementalong one of its edges, and a channel-shaped substantially rigid slideembracing said member and mounted thereon for limited slidin movement,said slide having a keyhole slot ormed in one side thereof with itsnarrow portion extending parallel to the path of movement of the slide.

A wing construction for loose leaf binders comprising an elongatedmember adapted to be mounted on the binder back for pivotal movementalongone of its edges, a channel-shaped substantially rigid slideembracing said member and secured for limited sliding movement thereon,one side of said slide having means thereon operable in the slidingmovement to fix the slide to a post, and means on the other side of theslide providing a roughened surface adapted to be engaged by an operatorto move the slide.

8. A loose leaf binder having a back, a pair of covers, a thin flexiblemember mounted on the back adjacent the connection with one of saidcovers, a pair of sheet-retaining posts passing through said member andhaving fiat heads adapted to engage with the outer face of the member,and a thin elongated metallic reinforcing plate on the inner face ofsaid member apertured to receive said posts, said plate having annularanchoring portions encircling the respective posts bent from afrnsto-conical form into the plane of the plate so as to be compressedinto tightly gripping relation to the posts.

9. A loose leaf binder comprising a back, a plurality of headed postsfor retaining a stack of perforated sheets to be bound, an anchoringwing hinged at one edge of said back and carrying said posts, and alocking wing comprising a flexible hinge member and a relatively rigidlocking member channel-shaped in cross-section to receive saidlongitudinal movement imparted to the looking member, said lockingmember having in its other wall apertures aligned with the enlargedportions of said keyhole-shaped apertures and smaller than the ends ofsaid posts.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto aflixedm signature.

i y LOUIS STEIN.

